


Tables Turn

by RyanTyler2294



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-01-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 02:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3156860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyanTyler2294/pseuds/RyanTyler2294
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Normally Masamune is the one being watched over by Kojuro, but now he's the one watching as his right eye clings to life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tables Turn

Number one of Oshu, Date Masamune, the One Eyed Dragon, never thought that he could feel this helpless. However as he sat next to Katakura Kojuro, his Right Eye, that feeling was realized.

The older man lay unmoving in front of him. It was lucky that that he was still breathing.

They currently resided in Kai. A battle had eventually got out of hand when an extra army invaded the battle ground. Things quickly took a turn. Masamune and Kojuro were separated, at what point he wasn't sure. He had gone into a panic remembering what had happened the other times when they were separated.

It wasn't until they fought off the third party that he was able to find him. Time seemed to stand still. He saw him across the field, just lying there.

"Kojuro…" It was a whisper at first, "Kojuro!" He was screaming at this point running across the battle field to where his companion was not caring that his helmet had fallen off or who he was bumping into.

"Kojuro!" He fell to his knees beside him now being able to see the full extent of his injury. It was only a single slice in the side, but there was so much blood!

It was pure luck that the Takada army had been passing through on their way home from their own battle and offered to take in their injured.

The sun was starting to set now. At least the wound was patched. The doctor that looked him over said that he wasn't going to die it was just a matter of when he wakes up.

"Lord Masamune." Date's head shot up thinking that Katakura had woken up, but it was only Yukimura.

"Yes?"

"We prepared a separate room for you."

"That's alright. I'm staying with him until he wakes up."

"Are you sure?"

Date gave him a look and the young tiger backed off saying he would bring him something to eat instead.

"Don't go through the trouble. I'm not hungry."

"Okay sir." Yukimura left the tent, his lord waiting outside for him.

"How is he doing?" Shingen asked.

"Lord Katakura still hasn't woken up…"

"Not him." The older tiger said hoping that Yukimura would catch on.

"Oh, Masamune-sama, he's fine, he wasn't injured to begin with."

Sasuke face palmed himself, "How is Masamune-sama coping."

"He seems fine. He won't leave Katakura-sama side though. He should be waking up soon…" he stopped talking when he saw the look on the other two faces, "Isn't he?"

"The doctor isn't sure if he will even make it through the night. We didn't tell Masamune-sama so he could heal from his own injuries as well. He still in shock and probably doesn't know he even has them."

"He deserves to know!" Yukimura yelled but his master hushed him.

"He can sense it. It's probably the reason he won't leave his side."

Yukimura felt an aching in his heart. He heard through some of Date's men that Katakura and Masamune had never been separated, except for the time Hanbi had taken him. Even then there was a noticeable difference in Masamune's behavior caused by his right eyes absents. He couldn't imagine what he would do if he actually died.

~.~.~.~.~

"Well someone has to watch him!" a male vice roared.

"None of the maids want to have to look at his disfigurement!" A women's shrill voice came above the rest, "And none of the kids want to play with him either. So he follows me around instead. Do you know what it's like to have to look at that thing day in and day out!"

A young Date Masamune sat in the hall as he listens to his parents argue. He was playing with his toes trying to distract himself from the conversation.

He was only seven years old at the time and he was trying not to cry from his mother's cruel words. He hated that his mom found him so disgusting that she couldn't stand to be around him. She loved his younger brother. She even wanted him to take Masamune's right of head of the house hold.

"What about his nurse maid, she took care of him when he was little, why can't she take care of him now?" his mom was still yelling.

"Remember the deal we made with her. She took care of Masamune she could bring her own child over. She cleans and has her own kid, we can't burden her with more!" the dad yelled back.

"What about her kid?" the mother sounded calmer now, "How old is he?"

"Fourteen, why?"

"Let him watch that thing."

He heard his dad sigh before he whispered to one of the servants. It wasn't long after the servant left that he came back with another boy dressed in the same clothes as the rest of the help.

A little while later his father came out to where Masamune was sitting, a sad look on his face, "Masamune, this is Katakura Kojuro."

"My Lord." The boy bowed.

"It's nice to meet you." the younger stood up bowing as well. The first thing he noticed was that he smiled at him regardless of his eye.

"Katakura is your new retainer. He will be with you until his dying breath."

~.~.~.~.~

Masamune jolted awake.

A dream? He thought. He prayed it was as the images from the other day flashed before his eye; but Kojuro was still lying next to him, still not moving.

He curled up closer to him. He had taken the time to remove his armor so Kojuro could rest more comfortably.

He held Kojuro's hand in his. The sun was going to be coming up soon. His stomach growled in protest letting him know he hadn't eaten in at least a day. Though there was food that was brought to him yesterday he couldn't find it in himself to eat.

"You need to wake up." He whispered, "Please wake up."

"Masamune-sama," Shingen walked into the room causing Date to sit up, "You haven't eaten."

"No." He rubbed his eye.

"He's still asleep?" The tiger sat next to him.

"Yes, but he's going to be waking up at any time now." The dragon said confidently. "He's a fighter, you see. He wouldn't leave me that easily."

"I know." The other nodded, not sounding like he meant it. "Make sure you take care of yourself in his absents. I doubt he would want to wake up and find that you had run yourself down."

The dragon nodded still making no indication that he was going to move. The tiger sighed taking the bowl from yesterday, "I'll have them bring you something fresh." He said as he left, "And our people made something to pour down his throat so he can stay healthy."

~.~.~.~.~

Masamune had never had someone who had to pay attention to him before. The other keepers he had tended to let him go off on his own or tell him to find something else to do when he followed them.

Kojuro wasn't like them though. He listened to him when he talked and didn't mind his company. Sometimes he would help out with the house work, other times with the gardening.

There were even times when Kojuro would help him with his swordsmanship.

"I like you a lot better than my other trainer." He said one day as Kojuro was helping him.

"Oh," was all he got in return.

Date hummed, "All he does is yell at me."

"Well, if you're doing things wrong then he's supposed to tell you."

"I know that. But all he does is tell me I'm doing it wrong and never shows me the right way. How am I supposed to get good at this if I don't know what I'm doing?" He pouted, "That's why I like you. You help me and actually care, and don't care about my eye." He looked up at the older boy who didn't say anything but smiled instead.

"It's almost noon you should go inside for lunch." Kojuro plunked the sword form his hands and picked the boy up.

"But I want to keep training!" Masamune whined.

"Masamune-sama, if you spend all of your time training and forget to eat and sleep, it won't matter how much training you do because by the time it comes to put that training to practice you'll be to worn out to be able to use it."

"Fine I'll eat, then I'll go back to training."

"No. You'll eat, and take your nap. Then if you're still up to it we can continue to train."

~.~.~.~.~

He managed to eat just a little bit and stretch his legs, still never leaving the room.

It was the second day that Kojuro had yet to wake up. Masamune made the decision to send some of his army back home to protect the land, while a smaller portion stayed behind with him until Kojuro was able to be moved.

He sat cross legged like his retainer would whenever he was healing for any sort of injury. He smiled at the memory of the times he would wake up to find his loyal right eye waiting for him. A hand would gently wipe his bangs from his face and explain to him what happen. Then he would go on to express how happy he was that he was alright. He in turn would respond with, "Not to worry".

But now he could see why Kojuro was always so worried. This waiting was never racking and the longer it went on the harder it was to hang on to hope. The only thing that reassured him that he was even still living was the fact that he could see his chest rise and fall easily.

~.~.~.~.~

"How did you get that scar on your cheek?" Masamune asked. He was thirteen at this point, head of the house hold since his father and younger brother both died in his hands.

"The story isn't that impressive Masamune-sama." The retainer said easily, "Why did you send for me?"

Masamune sat on his bed shaking a bit from pent up nerves. "I need you to do something for me." He said simply.

"Anything my lord."

"I need you to…" he gulped, "I need you to cut my eye out."

There was a dead silence in the room, "You should let the doctor do that."

"I don't trust the doctor."

"What if I stay in the room while he does it?"

The young dragon shook his head, "He works for my mom. She already tried to poison me enough times the last thing I need is for someone she hired to be that close to me with a knife. Please Kojuro?" he was begging at this point.

Kojuro sighed, "Lay down," he said after a while. The younger obeyed letting the other one straddle him, position himself to hold down his legs. Kojuro picked the knife up, "This is going to hurt," he said.

"I know."

"Hold on to my shoulder and no matter how bad it gets, don't move." His fingers open the eye lid as he placed the knife at the eye. Masamune started to scream and tremble trying not to thrash. Kojuro looked worried as he continued to work at cutting the eye from the optic nerve and retinal blood vessel.

He could feel the blood running down his face, mixed with tears.

"We're almost done," his retainer said in a hushed tone. Not long after the eye popped out. Date sat up gasping for breath and still crying. "I need to clean the wound and stop the bleeding," Kojuro was still talking in a gentle voice, "You'll die if you keep bleeding like this."

Katakura dug through the medical kit he kept on him at all times just in case something ever happened to the young lord. The bleeding stopped and Kojuro was wrapping it in enough time for a maid who heard the screaming to come in and see what had happen.

She took one look at Kojuro's bloody hands and the eye on the table and was off to tell her mistress.

Oddly enough his mother didn't say anything when she saw the bandaged eye nor did Kojuro ever say that she approached him on the subject.

~.~.~.~.~

"You need to wake up." Masamune said for what felt like the hundredth time. It had been a week and Kojuro was still not moving. "I said wake up!" he was yelling now. "Wake up already!"

Yukimura was the one who came in to make sure everything was alright. By the time he got there all he found was a broken dragon crying in its right eye chest.

"Please, please, wake up. I'll do anything. Just don't leave, not like this." A sniffle and then a sob broke through his lips as he wiped his eye.

Yukimura slowly pulled him away. "You should get some air. Staying in here with him like this all the time isn't good for you." When he got no response he kept talking, "We could spar together." he suggested still getting nothing. "Or we could go for a walk, just to get you moving. The cherry blossoms are in bloom right now…"

Date sucked in a breath remembering how many times Kojuro would take him to see the cherry blossoms. "I'm not leaving until he wakes up."

"I don't mean to be rude but," Yukimura knew he had to word this carefully, "He's been out for almost a week and I know you had to hear of the cases when they are asleep so long that they have to be…"

"SHUT UP!" Date yelled. The room fell back into silence.

"He's still not ready to let go." Sasuke shook his head.

"Is that a bad thing?" Yukimura asked, "Many people find it had to let go of…"

"It's weird," Sasuke said, "I have seen generals who had to smother there second in commands, but none of them ever got this hysterical or wait so long."

"He has been with him since childhood."

"I've seen men who had to do the same to people who they've been with since birth."

Yukimura shrugged, "I don't think Master Katakura is going to make it." he said sadly.

"There's not much we can do about it."

~.~.~.~.~  
"Kojuro, there you are," Masamune smiled finding his trusted retainer in his living quarters, "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Is something the matter my lord," Kojuro asked.

"No, I just haven't seen you in a while." This was a lie. They had only been apart for a few hours.

"I see." Kojuro gave him a small smile.

"I had to meet my wife today." Masamune pouted, even though he was sixteen he still indulged in some of his childish tendencies.

"Oh." Was the response he got letting him know to continue.

"I don't like her. Well it's not that I don't like her I just don't want to marry her. I don't know anything about her."

"Why don't you talk to her and get to know her my lord?" Kojuro suggested.

"Don't call me lord!" Masamune huffed. "Because she only wants to please me and agrees with everything I say. That and… never mind." He looked down blushing. "Kojuro can I try something with you?" The teen scooted closer to him.

"Anything my lo…Masamune." The retainer corrected himself. Date slowly moved to straddle him, keeping his hands on Kojuro's shoulders. He watched as confusion ran through his retainers face before the realization hit him.

"Masamune, we shouldn't…"

"Shhh," he leaned in closer tentatively pressing his lips to the older males. His heart was beating in his ears. This was his first kiss, he knew that there weren't certain things that were expected of him with his wife but he wanted his first time in any of this to be with someone he cared for. "I love you," tumbled from his lips.

"Masamune-sama," Kojuro looked like he was in shock.

"I mean it! I love you! If I could I would marry you." He held Katakura's face in his hands smiling sadly. "I've never been with anyone before and I don't want her to be my first I want you."

"Masamune-sama," Kojuro cut him off this time finally getting to talk, "You won't be expected to marry her for a few more years. You have time, you don't have to rush."

"So, you like me too right? You're not just doing this because I asked you to."

"No," the older brushed Masamune's bangs from his face, "I have feeling for you as well."

The younger beamed kissing him yet again. It was only a peck like the last one but it didn't cease to make his heart flutter.

~.~.~.~.~

"Remember when you swore that you would always watch my back? I never said it but I made a promise to myself that nothing would ever happen to you. I'm sorry I lost track of you I thought you were still behind me but when I turned around you weren't and I-I didn't mean to get to you so late. I'm sorry."

Katakura lay still next to his retainer as he spoke. He couldn't cry anymore because he was out of tears. Two weeks had passed without Kojuro showing signs of waking up. Once in a while Kojuro's breathing would sound labored and Masamune worried that it was the close to the end.

He knew that in situations like this most people would have smothered Kojuro by now to put him out of his misery. He couldn't bring himself to do so. Kojuro was his apart of his life, a part of his life that he didn't want to lose.

"Poor Number One." His men said while they lounged around the land of Kai, "I haven't seen him this messed up in a long time."

"What if Master Katakura dies do you think he'll ever snap out of it?" another asked.

"Master Katakura isn't going to die." A third protested. "Just wait and see he'll be as good as new in no time."

Yukimura and Sasuke watched this, "I feel bad for them." The young tiger sighed, "They're losing both of their commanders at the same time."

"I wonder why Date hasn't just put him out of his misery." Sasuke mused.

"Would you do that to me if I was out like that?"

"Probably, it would be better to know you're in a better place than struggling to hold on, knowing you'll never make it back."

"Well, you saw the way Date was when he heard that three of his men were taken. Even though they were only foot soldiers he still wanted to risk his life to save them."

Sasuke shook his head, "Even though he's been through so much that should have hardened him to these times, he's still a little bit too soft."

~.~.~.~.~

It was after his first battle that Masamune took in the full extent of the damaged to his hand. He shouldn't have broken away from Kojuro, but he wanted to prove that he could take care of himself.

Don't get him wrong, he appreciated the fact that Kojuro took on the responsibility of being his right eye. He just wanted to let Kojuro know he didn't have to worry so much. If anything he probably made the man worry more.

He wandered through the hall until he came to Kojuro's living quarters. He never had to knock in order to come in because Katakura was always suspecting him. He sat next to him not saying anything as he leaned into him and the older man knew to hold him tightly against his chest.

Masamune smiled up at him giving him a kiss. He'd become quiet skilled at this now that he was eighteen. Their tongues touch in a gentle yet passionate kiss. Kojuro larger hand tangling in his hair, another one was placed on the small of his back, never daring to go further, even as they fell to the floor.

They broke apart for air, Masamune smiled at him letting his arms wrap around the others neck as he gave him another quick peck, "I love you," he whispered.

"And I you," the elder of the two said. They were pressed closely together. The front of their yukata had opened for them to be pressed skin to skin.

The younger blushed, "Kojuro…" he whispered.

"Yes Masamune?"

"The wedding is in a few days and my mom won't let me back out of it no matter how much I beg."

"What are you asking of me?"

"I want…" Masamune looked down and blushed again, "I was wounding if you would…lay with me?"

Katakura didn't answer at first causing Masamune to think he said the wrong thing, "Are you sure about this?" Kojuro's voice was serious, "I doubt that your wife will want to do anything close to that on the first night."

Masamune shook his head, "They picked that night so that she'll be fertile enough to bear our first child on our first night together."

"Masamune…"

"I'm not even sure how I'm going to do that. I don't get excited when I see her and…I don't want to lose my virginity to her." He pleaded. "I want it to be with the one I love and that's you…" he was hushed by a sweet kiss.

That was the first night they ever laid with each other.

~.~.~.~.~

Masamune woke with a start. He'd dozed off mid-after-noon and woke up hearing Kojuro's labored breathing.

"Kojuro!" he was panicking hearing the choking sounds that he was making, "No don't , don't die on me Kojuro!" fresh tears started to fill his eyes as the noise continued.

By now the noise had caused Shingen, Yukimura and Sasuke to come see what was wrong. Masamune looked at them to see if they could help, but he could tell by the look on their faces that this was probably it for Kojuro.

The choking stopped and was replaced by a gurgling noise of sort. At this point Masamune didn't care who was watching as he laid on Kojuro's chest and screamed.

He felt like he was dying inside hearing the last short breaths exit his lover's body. He knew it sounded weak but he couldn't live without this man. He was the only one that accepted him and truly understood him. He knew all of his faults and weakness and made up for them in himself.

The gurgling turned into a groan and then he was silent.

Masamune swore his heart stopped not able to deal with the pain.

"I'm sorry." Yukimura said rubbing the others back to try and comfort him.

"H-he-he's not dead he's just…"

"Date…"

He tuned them out keeping Kojuro's hand in his. It was still warm.

Then he felt a squeeze. Looking up he saw Kojuro's eyes open and looking around, "Kojuro," he smiled, "Kojuro." He threw himself on top of him.

Sasuke and the others look on in awe, "Come on guys," Shingen said, "Let's give them some time." He showed the others out.

"I knew you weren't dead, I knew you'd hold on."

"What happened?" Kojuro asked wiping Masamune's bangs from his face.

"We got separated during the battle and, I don't know what happened but I found you on the other side of the field…"

"Not to me, what happened to you?" Kojuro's hand rested on his cheek making Date take it in his grasp and hold it closer.

"I'm fine." He said softly. "Especially now that your back."

"Masamune, you have bandages on your head and arm, even your chest is wrapped up to your neck."

Reality hit him like a wave a slight pain went through him. He winced, "I've been through worse." He reassured him.

Kojuro tried to sit up and Masamune assisted him. "I'm sorry I let you get hurt." Kojuro said.

"N-no it was my fault I shouldn't of…"

"Then let's share in responsibility." Kojuro said. "I heard what you said when I was unconscious, about you trying to return the favor of protecting my back as well." He smiled.

Masamune blushed, "I want to keep you safe."

Kojuro kissed him sweetly and Masamune knew this was real. He wrapped his arms around the others to keep him close. They broke apart staying forehead to forehead. Kojuro's hand came up to untie the eye patch so he could gaze at him in all his glory.

"I'll stay by your side until my dying breath." Date swore.

"That's my job."

"Now it's both of our jobs. Your last breath will also be mines."

They sealed the promise with a kiss.

Fin


End file.
